Current practice in the manufacture of thermoplastic formable plastic sheets laminated with decorative films involves numerous steps. A film supplier first builds a paint film by providing a carrier layer of flexible but nonformable plastic film,. such as polyester, typically a "Mylar" 200A polyethylene terephthalate (PET). On the carrier layer, one or two coats of clear coat finish are formed on which a layer of color coat paint film is applied. The clear and color coats may be sprayed, calendared or otherwise applied.
Because the resulting multi-layer film is thin and difficult to handle, it is then laminated to a thin wall thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) sheet, typically about 6-20 mils thick but thicknesses up to 60 mils can be used. The laminated product is then shipped to an extruder to have the thin wall sheet side of the product laminated to a thick wall TPO sheet about 0.065-0.300 inches thick. This may be accomplished as part of the extrusion process. In some cases, the nonformable carrier is removed prior to lamination by peeling it off the thin wall laminate, because if left thereon, it may interfere with the lamination process. The result is the desired thermoplastic formable laminated decorative sheet. In other cases, the carrier layer is left on the laminated sheet to protect the clear coat finish from damage in handling and is only removed prior to forming the decorative sheet into a final or intermediate molded product.